Trying for another baby

You may want to try for another baby when you and your partner feel physically and emotionally ready.

You'll probably be advised to wait until you've had at least two periods after treatment before trying again, to allow yourself to recover. If you were treated with methotrexate, it's usually recommended that you wait at least three months, because the medicine could harm your baby if you become pregnant during this time.

Most women who have had an ectopic pregnancy will be able to get pregnant again, even if they've had a fallopian tube removed. Overall, 65% of women achieve a successful pregnancy within 18 months of an ectopic pregnancy. Occasionally, it may be necessary to use fertility treatment such as IVF.

The chances of having another ectopic pregnancy are higher if you've had one before, but the risk is still small (around 10%).

If you do become pregnant again, it's a good idea to let your GP know as soon as possible, so early scans can be carried out to check everything's OK.

What can cause an ectopic pregnancy?

In many cases, it's not clear why a woman has an ectopic pregnancy. Sometimes it happens when there's a problem with the fallopian tubes, such as them being narrow or blocked.

The following are all associated with an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy:

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Ectopic pregnancy

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An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilised egg implants itself outside the womb. Records show there are 11,000 ectopic pregnancies in the UK each year, but the actual figure is thought to be higher. In this video, an expert gives their advice and Katherine describes her experience of it.
Note: if you are worried or need advice, you can call the ectopic pregnancy helpline 020 7733 2653 provided by the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust or email ept@ectopic.org.uk.